Dutch Oven Ham with Glaze
Whether you’re baking a ham for family gatherings, special occasions or your Easter dinner, this easy Dutch oven ham recipe will be a timesaver. It features a pre-cooked spiral cut ham with a sweet and smoky brown sugar glaze.

You can use this glaze recipe as a sauce for baked ham, hamsteaks or pork chops!
The best part about this recipe is that you can easily turn a fully pre-cooked ham into a homemade masterpiece with a few simple ingredients.
The combination of the sweet, smoky, tangy and savory flavors really enhance the natural saltiness of the pork and takes a typical weeknight dinner to the next level.
Ingredients
- Ham – this recipe uses a pre-cooked, boneless, spiral-cut smoked ham. This glaze can be used for whatever kind of ham you have for your holiday dinner.
- Brown sugar – you can use light brown sugar or dark; I prefer light brown sugar for the right amount of sweetness
- Maple syrup – get a good quality syrup with no added preservatives for best results
- Mustard – I use a little Dijon mustard because it adds a hint of heat to the glaze; you can use ground mustard (dry mustard) as a substitute. Also, mustard is a thickening agent so there’s no need to use a cornstarch slurry for this glaze recipe.
- Acid – a hint of apple cider vinegar gives this glaze a little tanginess, which compliments the flavor; if you don’t have vinegar, you can substitute with a little lemon juice, orange juice or pineapple juice
- Liquid smoke – this is an optional ingredient, but a little bit in the glaze enhances the natural flavors of a smoked meats

How to make it
This delicious baked ham is easy to make! You’ll need a Dutch oven or a roasting pan with a lid and a saucepan for the glaze .See the recipe card below for specific ingredients and step by step instructions.
- Add a little water to the Dutch oven, place ham cut side down; cover and bake @ 325°F until the internal temperature reaches 140°F
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, add the glaze ingredients and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the glaze is thickened.
- Remove ham, drain a little of the water out of the pan, and place the it back in the Dutch oven on it’s side, fat side down
- Gently separate the slices and drizzle a little of the glaze over them
- Return it to the oven, uncovered and continue to bake another 10 minutes, basting frequently
- Once the ham is fully glazed, place it on a cutting board and cover it with foil
- Let it rest 5-8 minutes
- Pour any leftover pan drippings over the spiral ham, slice and serve
Recipe tips
- The glaze recipe yields 1 cup – plenty enough to baste a 5-7 pound ham, however, if you want to serve some on the side as a delicious sauce, double the simple glaze recipe and reserve half in a small bowl for your guests to help themselves
- The glaze will naturally thicken upon cooling
- You can use this glaze recipe for ham steaks or pork chops as well

Storage and reheating
Store leftover ham glaze and ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. For best results, reheat on the stovetop. Sauce thickens upon refrigeration, so you may have to add a little water.
This easy Dutch oven ham is super easy to make and is always a family favorite! Serve with your favorite potato salad, baked beans or cream style corn and call it dinner!
Related recipes
- Classic Southern Potato Salad
- Southern Baked Beans
- Old Fashioned English Pea Salad
- Maple Carrot Pecan Casserole
- Baked Pineapple Bread Casserole
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment. I love to hear from you!

Dutch Oven Ham with Glaze
Equipment
- Dutch oven or roaster pan with lid
Ingredients
- 1, 5-7 pound pre-cooked ham
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°℉; add water to Dutch oven; pat dry ham and place cut side down in Dutch oven; cover and bake 20-minutes per pound until ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°℉½ cup water, 1, 5-7 pound pre-cooked ham
- In a medium saucepan on medium heat, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke; cook uncovered, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth; remove from heat1 cup light brown sugar, ½ cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
- Remove ham from pan; separate spiral slices with a sharp knife; place ham back in the Dutch oven on it's side with the fat side down; drizzle a little of the glaze over the slices and return to the oven and bake uncovered 10-15 more minutes
- Baste ham frequently while it's in the oven
- Once the ham is nicely coated, remove it from the Dutch oven and plate on a cutting board; tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes
- Slice and plate; drizzle with more glaze if desired